This invention relates to a rodent trap which captures the rodent inside an enclosure for clean and humane disposal.
Present methods of capturing or disposing of rodents are generally unsightly and unsanitary. One such method includes a trap which has a spring operated bar for instantly killing the rodent. This type of trap includes a spring operated bar which is released by a trigger which is baited. As mice and other rodents are typically nocturnal animals such devices most frequently capture the animals at night or during periods when people are not around. This means the rodent may lie in the trap for many hours before removal and disposal. In addition to being unsightly this is unsanitary as rodents are known to carry disease causing bacteria which can be spread after the animal is killed.
Another method of disposing of the rodents is by using poison bait. This type of method uses poisoned bait which poisons the rodent killing him and sometimes includes a substance which dehydrates the rodent. A disadvantage of this method is that the rodent may crawl into some inaccessible area after eating the poison and die there. This prevents disposal of the dead rodent.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a rodent trap which is simple and easy to use and humanely captures and disposes of a rodent in a sanitary manner.
The present invention is comprised of an enclosure having a hinged lid which is automatically closed when a rodent enters the enclosure. The hinged lid is automatically closed by a movable platform which is latched in a fixed position and is coupled through a hinge mechanism to the lid such that weight applied to the platform trips the latch and automatically closes the lid. The tripping mechanism is comprised of the platform which is inside the enclosure, free to effect rotational and vertical movement, a latch mechanism and a rod hingedly connected to the lid at one end and to the latch at the other end. The latch is attached to the shelf in a manner which causes weight from the shelf to trip the latch closing the lid. After closure, weight of the platform biases the lid toward its closed position.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a rodent trap which captures and encloses the rodent in a sealed container.